3 for the price of 1

To paraphrase the Montell Jordan song – “This is how you do it.”

To me, this is how the smart teams handle free agency. Spread the money around and get a lot of bang for your buck.

You identify talent that fit your scheme and culture, and then construct a pragmatic, cost-effective contracts, that’s good for the team and the player, and you pull the trigger.

Yes, Jack Conklin could have helped the Jets, but he went to Cleveland on a three-year deal for $42 million with $30 million guaranteed.

So they didn’t get Conklin, and I have no idea if they went after him hard. Some in the media claimed this, but they might have just been pawns for Conklin’s agent to drive up the price.

So Conklin got $30 million guaranteed (the guarantee is what matters most), and the Jets got a starting left tackle (George Fant), a starting left guard (Alex Lewis) and a starting center (Connor McGovern) for a total of $37.3 million guaranteed.

I’m not an economist, but that sounds like a pretty good plan – almost three for the price of one.

Conklin is a terrific player, but right tackle really wasn’t the biggest need on this line. The Jets have two candidates they like at right tackle in Conor McDermott and Chuma Edoga, who are both under contract. You could make a strong argument that left tackle was a bigger need. Kelvin Beachum is a free agent, and is a solid player, and will get signed elsewhere, but doesn’t have ideal size for a left tackle at 6-2 7/8. It’s very, very rare to have a left tackle that short, and while he generally did a serviceable job, sometimes his size was a problem. You saw that against a long, athletic defensive end like Cleveland’s Myles Garrett.

Fant is right out of central casting to play left tackle at 6-5, 320 pounds, with the feet of a dancing bear. His guaranteed is $13.3 million. This is a case of buying a stock low that you really like and think will be worth a lot more very soon. He didn’t get more money because he was a backup this year to Duane Brown, one of the best left tackles in the league.

They got Lewis for just $6 million guaranteed. His price tag wasn’t higher because of some injuries the last few years, a neck in Baltimore, and then a high ankle sprain late last season with the Jets. Lewis is a fundamentally sound left guard who plays with an attitude. He also gives you roster flexibility because he can serve as a backup left tackle, a position he played in college.

McGovern got $18 million in guaranteed money. Here is my scouting report on him from the last issue of Jets Confidential Magazine . . .

Connor McGovern, Broncos • 6-4 • 306 • 26

McGovern is one of the most powerful pivotmen in the league, a weight room superstar. He is adept at adept at playing guard and center. He’s also very durable and is doesn’t get penalized a lot. He has quick feet and does a nice job in space. The Fargo-native should be in demand in free agency as perhaps the best center available.

Here is the deal people. The jury is still out on Douglas as a GM because it’s too early to really access him.

But basically getting three starting offensive linemen for almost the price of one, was a pretty impressive way to come out of the gate in his first off-season as the Jets GM.

March 17, 2020

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